


Caesar Meets Markus

by 04KS0D4



Category: Original Work
Genre: markus becomes a father accidentally, oops surprise adoption
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2019-11-03
Packaged: 2021-01-22 15:15:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21304181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/04KS0D4/pseuds/04KS0D4
Summary: sleep deprived man finds teen with memory loss on the side of the road. the man instantly engages dad mode.





	Caesar Meets Markus

A man drives home from work, the clock on his dashboard reads 4:34, and the world outside the limited range of his headlights is dark, but familiar all the same. The rural plains have little to no life this early in the morning, and the man, we'll call him Markus, envies the way the world around him rests in silence. Markus is also in silence like the rest of his perceived world, but not a peaceful one. He's rehearsing the words he has to say tomorrow, running himself through his morning routine, his midday plan, and dreading working so late again. 

Now, as a lover of education with the financial planning to continue it past what was required for his career, Markus takes college courses in the mornings. He may get some odd looks from the younger crowd, given he's nearing his late 30's and it shows. He tries to engage with the kids there regardless, and they seem to enjoy his company. Markus suspects it's due to being able to relate to his way of never being quite awake from early morning to mid afternoon. He tends to get spikes of energy in the evenings, but it slowly burns out until he finally gets home and collapses.

While he's trying his hardest to focus on the road, Markus's eyes wander as they often do, and that's when he spots it. A figure highlighted by the headlights. He assumes it's a deer standing on the side of the road, and begins to slow down as not to startle and hit it. Upon nearing the figure, he sees it seems too tall for a deer, not to mention how the figure doesn't even take notice of the light and sounds nearing it. 

Markus, out of curiosity and having his decision making skills put under the effects of sleep deprivation, drives closer before stopping next to it. It becomes obvious now that the figure is a human, or more specifically a teenager that hasn't seen a shower in days, maybe months. Dark hair grown out past their shoulders, thin gangly limbs, and Markus could swear there was mud dried onto their clothes and skin, but it's dark out and he doesn't have his glasses on. Legally, he really should have them on, but he managed to lose them somewhere in the glove box earlier that day.

Markus crawls over to the passenger side, rolls the window down just enough to let sound out, and taps it a few times, "Hello?"

The kid doesn't respond. Markus taps the window a few more times, "Hello? Are you okay? Do you need help?"

Another minute or so passes without a response, and Markus decides to roll the window down all the way. He reaches out to the kid, brushing his hand across their arm, and out of sheer dumb luck the kid only jumps and steps away. The kid is now staring at Markus, facing towards the light of his car, and Markus is no longer sure it's only mud on their clothes. Markus thinks he can make out bruising on the left side of the kid's face, and there's a very red tint to the "mud" covering a large amount of the already dirty clothes they wear.

From what Markus can see without his glasses the kid seems to be fairly tan, and he notices their hair is frizzy, he assumes it's maybe wavy or curly due to not being able to see all too much detail in the low light. Markus thinks he sees a large, rounded nose gracing their more square features, but again he can't be quite sure.

"Ah, yes, hi. Hello." Markus tries his hardest to make sure the kid understands him before continuing, "What are you doing out here?"

There's a pause before the kid shook themselves off, seeming startled all over again, "I, uh, I'm not- I'm not really sure."

"Oh, well, do you know where you should be? I can drive you-" Markus stops when the kid shakes their head 'no' and then keeps going, "Do- do you not have a home, or anyone you can call?"

"I don't- I don't think so. I don't really know how I got here, to be honest." The kid looks around once they finish speaking, and markus finally notices they're shaking.

"Well, alright.” Markus pauses. 

He can’t just call the police and hope for the best; it’s the middle of nowhere, and the kid’s been through something violent enough that they can’t remember it. Markus has met the highway patrol here, due to his own sleepy driving leading to getting pulled over once, he knows they won’t get the kid proper help. The jumpy patrollers were seconds from pulling a gun on him because of his color, Markus doesn’t want to think what would happen to a possibly latino kid covered in what could be blood.

Markus breathes in, not sure if what he’s offering is a smart decision, but he thinks it may be the safest for the kid in front of him. “I, uh, do you want to come with me to my house, get cleaned up, catch some sleep, and then see if you remember anything tomorrow?"

The kid looks at markus warily, takes a vague look at the car, looks at themselves, and shrugs. "Alright, yeah. Don’t know what else I’d do."

Markus smiles, "Deal. Lemme open the door and scooch back over into my seat."

He does as he said he would, opens the passenger’s side door, and crawls back into the driver’s seat. As awkward as his movements are, the kid doesn’t seem to find it weird or funny. Doesn’t seem very responsive overall. Once inside the car he starts driving again, back on the route to his home. Markus looks at the kid, still not sure if it's blood or dirt on their face. He decides it may just be a mix of the two.

"So, what's your name?" Markus asks with his eyes back on the road. He doesn't see the way the kid wrings their hands, or how they're looking at themselves in the mirror like they’re seeing a stranger.

"I, um, I'm not sure. I'm having trouble remembering it, but it started with an 'S', I think." There's a long, thoughtful pause before the kid blurts "Salad, sea-- Caesar!" like it's the answer to the world’s longest unsolved question.

Markus laughs, "Salad? Is your name salad? 'Cause last I checked Caesar doesn't start with an 'S', but salad does."

"Oh, I, uh, no. No. It's Caesar. Salad just reminded me of it." Caesar laughs at their own accidental joke. Markus looks over to catch the kids smile, and he must admit, he almost forgot Caesar may have some problems.

"Okay, so pardon me if this comes across as really rude, but, is your hair normally that long? Well, I should ask if you like it that long, really. I know it's in style these days for young men to grow their hair- well, actually, are you a young man?" Markus fumbles through his words a little carelessly, not sure if it's the fact he's talking to another person or how little sleep he's gotten that's affecting him.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm nearing fifteen, so I think that would count me as a young man, right?" Caesar seems to be getting more comfortable, and is definitely having an easier time talking than Markus is.

"You're only fourteen?"

Caesar laughs, “Yeah, why? Do I look older?” Markus can hear the smile in his voice.

Markus isn’t sure how to tell him he simultaneously looks 20 and 10 right now, and goes for the easier option. “I’m not wearing my glasses kid, you’re a muddy blur to me.”

Caesar laughs again, and he laughs hard. It’s like he finally found something funny for the first time in years. Markus wonders if that could be true. 

When Caesar stops laughing, it’s a slow wind down. Like he’s getting beaten back down, and he’s thinking about other things now. Neither of them break the silence that settles after that until Markus is pulling into his driveway.


End file.
